The Dickinson press., 1887-08-27

"When was ringing the bell in the organ
loft" Candelaria replied, humbly, but with
gentle insistence, ~ thought at first it was
your breviary, for there were pictures of the
saints Is it not SO! But saw soon that it
was game, like ours of plum stones, for you
mixed them and counted them so Ah! let
ME see the little pictures, good Father
Acacioe'
Mechanically the padre took the cards from
his sleeve and spread them upon his lap, while
Candelara, kneeling, regarded them with
silent admiration. They We're cards of the
ancient pattern bearing, instead of hearts,
spades, diamonds and clubs, cups. gold pieces,
swords and cudgels. These devices are still
retained on Spanish cards, while other nations
have ado ted other signs.
Candelarla crossed herself i'll awe before {.
particularly ugly queen of swords. "lt is the
blessel Virgin of Dolors, is it note" she asked
"and he with the club is San Cri>tcfero, and
he with the cup San Ignacio isit not 500 And
what do all the little pictures sisnifyl"
The cups" said the padre, "and the money
stand for the two thcologic virtues, Faith
and Charity; the swords and clahs for the
two cardinal virtues, Justice and Foriitudc. "
So the father spoke truly, for this was the
accepted derivation of these symbols; but
when Candelaria clapped her hands in gce
and eScainesl: 81 perceive! | see! it is lit
tie game to teach the catechism-is it not sol
Then Satan entered into tue priest Tor was it.
rather. un Inspiration from his patron saint .
and he rcpiicd: "Ycs. Cauiclariu, one may
learn the whole way of blessednc>s from these
little pictures We call them the Joyful
Mysteries and, if you are very diligcnt.
will teach them to YOU An old Dominican
jingle, or numerical catechisln, came to his
mind, and laying the cards out i'll regular
sequence he caused her to repeat after him:
"Dic nihi quid sit unuss Unl, est verus
Deus qui in rnlis regnat.
Duo? Dum sunt Moysis tabulp.
Tires? Patiiarchn tres
"Quatuor! Quntuor Evangeis,p.
"Quinque! Quilue pruicntes virsincs
Sex! Sex hydra p">i,n in Cana Gali!n.
"Septems Septem sacramento.
"Octo9 Octo Beatitudines.
"Novcm. Anselorun chorus
"Decem! Dccem prpcepta Decalogi"
This he combined dexterously with the
Mexican game of monte, SO thut in half an
iour Candelaria was gambling skillfully-thc
athcr stalking his money on the five prudent
irgins and Candelaria on the three patri-
chs. AT the close of the game Cantlelaria
aid she had never had SO enjoyable Il lesson,
nd was sure if the good padre would teach
he catechsm i'll that way, not this children
done, but the warriors, the medicine men
nd the chiefs would flock to the lessons.
'ather Acnc!os heart sang jnbilate: already
might I've said that he "viewed his triumph
rom afar and seized it with his eye" He re-
ircd to the cluister garden, not to gather
actIs for self flngellation, but to elaborate
lis little game.
"A little management was necessary to pre-
onrc the ncophytcs for their hnal cNamina-
Jon, after the selections which he l,,l made
Tor them from the cate,,i,ism had been thor
>ughly committed to inomory, without be-
trnying the machinery i,y whic.. they had
,een learned.
The assistance Of the object lessons Ind
,een so implicitly relied upon that Father
Acario founHl it absolutely impossible to elicit
all answer without exhibiting the cards. He
at 1ast hit upp.. the cXpcdient of seating the
bishop and bis suite in front and facing the
congregation, and nf secreting Candclariu in
the confessional! jast behind them, where,
like n jack i'll the box, she thrust out the carl
or cards suggesting TIN. required answer ia
full view OF his p:op", tut unseen by the
catechists. Several rehearsuls assured hin.
of the success Of thi:, plan
The great day arrived. The bishop, II
feeble, totering Oil man, leaned heavily upon
the padres al'n. ;,s h" was shown the nr' cui.
den with its ovtlc.ly rows of chilli and onions
He dozel mfo-tably in the garden seat u...l,r
the giant heliotro,e, while the ;5nv,i.i r
slapped Acacio affectionately on the s!.",ll r
and told him Of tho Ill success of all the 9th
missionaries whom they had visited Tie
good bishop had been scaidalizei b.: HE ,e
vice, to which the missionaries had 1T 4.od
to gam their converts. at Taos they :.,.i
bern u rnlittcl to as good as c;...o!2. Il,
hero. :"l!eZuma, w"rsil;pins I...i i .eu,i
honor with San Geronimo AT Las:ta tn"
festivals OF the saints were celcra u MI.
hcathc;i dances, aiui the Ioothcistic fr'i,, q,
Were allowed Il la"s' Oh the high u.:ar
Tath'r Aea@ia irJs'ssrd Ism, /. st." ~
s!e c.i =, sus.l cooked practices, ..j,,;s d
"l.e:!"l' nai, >f The convert, hit lu.. ,.,'.r.,
n:eii ~: 10 5rs> i'll the sateyh s.:l
"A.a-' 10" iei,li-d the bishop 80. ,l..v
waAil.S uo; "t'.ry Iiave With one accord re
li!iIiisis:tI ettampts to teach the G,,s...a, +
our !: IS religion"
P;lli" Acac;o smiled segcnely and d | is
u SITS w." the church, already (: i"a IA t
Nh h> spiritual c!iiiircn. II SEATED h.,
~! Is, ID ..r lonl arinl"nt II gus .ols
AL "n'"es vel merrii:, 10 tie
"en!p'"t'. stuprfuc'ion Of the bsbo,,
who could barely believe his ca.
The triumphant prifst coul not fo.t1aar
occasionally castin, glance over las
SHOULDER at his colleague. Cundc,aria. who
smiled and nodded at him from baim,l the
red calico curtains How clever she was,
and how ntfectionate! IIo had Eil.,et to h.r
the possibility of his removal to l;!.c,
sphere of usefulness, and the tears had stool
in her eyes. "Blessed father.' she Lad snil,
howl Shall miss you, and with who. shall
we play tie adorable little games"
Dear child" Acacio had replied, I'VE need
not be separated If you wish you shall 60
to Santa Fe with me and teach the little game
to the Indian girls as the superior OF convent
of holy huns"
Father Acacio had painted Santa F. IN
such brilliant colors that the girl had cx-
pressed ley entire willingness to follow him
tbithcr. What q treasure she was! Tie
padre could hardly keep bis atten-
ton on the catechism for thinking
of her, and yet his converts were doing
him honor beyond his own expectation.
There we're some slight slips, as when the
head choir boy, confused by the like num-
bers, gave baptism, confirmation, eucharist,
penance, extreme JUNCTION, holy orders and
matrimony as the seven deadly sins: and
pride, covetousness, lust wrath, gluttony,
envy and sloth as the sacraments. Old Isidor,
being asked, sFor what did Judas betray his
Master,' fixing his eyes on the three ten
spots extended By Candelaria for his help, re-
piled: Ten gold pieces, ten cups and ten
swords" But as general thing all went
swimmingly. The governor regarded his
friend at first with pride and admiration,
which changed after time to surprise, and
finally to puzzled doubt and downright sus-
picion. These converts were too perternat-
urally bright, there must be some little game
which did not appear on the surface. The
answer proper to purgatory might be given
to the question, "What is the sacrament Of
matrimony!" for he had himself found that
relation "A place of punishment, where souls
suffer before they go to heaven" Dona
Anastasia was dead now, rest her SOUL; {;
but when willful murder, oppression
of the poor and defrauding the Ia
borer of his wages were given in
oP oho o1,a1i